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When we first booted up the new HTC One, we were greeted by a “Powered by Android” logo near the bottom of the screen; Samsung has done the same thing with the Galaxy S5. At first this may not seem like a very big deal, but thanks to some internal documents and verification from sources familiar with the matter, there may actually be a lot more to this simple logo than meets the eye. We’ve confirmed with sources that Google now requires that manufacturers add the “Powered by Android” logo to their splash screens in order to get certified for its Mobile Services.

Most people likely won’t even notice the logo, nor will they care. However, making it a requirement on all devices running Google Mobile Services is just another indication that the software giant isn’t pleased with its mobile OS getting the bad end of the branding stick. Given how upset Google was at Samsung’s recent moves to add an excessive number of TouchWiz features to the Note Pro, it’s understandable that the company wants to ensure its name and branding still gets seen and recognized by end users. Google seems concerned that manufacturer branding efforts are making it hard for consumers to know what mobile OS truly powers their devices. This brand-new requirement will likely affect not only new devices going forward, but also any older devices that still receive updates.